Month 1 present- Triskelion - 2/19/18

On the mmabsers list there was a post from "Bay" announcing her one year of sobriety which really inspired me.  I have thought about her post a lot this weekend.  I so desperately want to be able to say that.  She does something that I think is totally awesome and am going to copy (thanks Bay).  Every month of her first year of sobriety, she bought herself and Alex and Ani charm bracelet as a reward and reminder of her journey.  I love this idea so I decided to be a copy cat haha :) I definitely spent at least $25 a month on alcohol so the cost is justifiable.

After searching for the meaning of the many charms, here is the one I chose for month 1:



The triskelion or” triskele” is also known as the tri-spiral or “Spiral of Life.” The three spirals in the triskelion are interconnected with no open ends thus creating one continuous line. Each spiral turns in the same direction. The three spirals represent balance, harmony and continual motion indicative of the  flow of life and of the Earth in her seasons and cycles.  Source

This charm represents the fact that everything in life is connected.  This is so important for me to remember. Yes, I could have a drink and yes, I could maybe keep is at a level that doesn't cause me to have a hangover the next day (hangovers were the driving reason I quit in the first place) but it is so much more than that. Alcohol has a negative effect on all aspects of my life. If I add alcohol to one of the spirals (one night of having a couple beers), it circles around and saturates all the other spirals (all other aspects of my life and well being). It effects my motivation to work out and eat well, my level of depression, obsession, anxiety and sensitivity, my quality of sleep, my relationships, my ability to be fully present in my life, my self esteem. Putting alcohol in my system permeates everything in my life. It is so much more than just avoiding a hangover. It is about what kind of life I want to live.

When I am in a difficult situation and want to drink, I will hold on to that charm to remind myself of the negative impact alcohol has on all areas of my life and that the couple of hours of drinking in which I may very well feel happy, relaxed and socially more comfortable...just isn't worth all the negative it will bring. It is all connected.